CD Review: Landmine Marathon – Gallows

Written by Colin McNamara Friday, 27 January 2012 09:42

Artist: Landmine Marathon
Title: Gallows
Genre: Death Metal
Release Date: 30th January 2012
Label: Prosthetic Records

Album Review

LANDMINE MARATHON may come as a surprise to new listeners when they hear it with how clean it sounds as far as Death Metal goes and how much it relates to bands like BOLT THROWER or even earlier GOD DETHRONED on their heavier tracks. Perhaps what is even more surprising is that a woman is fronting this band and for once doesn’t sound like the typical ARCH ENEMY, AGONIST, or EYES SET TO KILL clone that apparently so many female fronted Metal bands do these days. The ferocity behind the vocals hasn’t sounded this good since OTEP first exploded with her debut album. Those who have heard this group before pretty much know what to expect by album no. 3: a mix of fast, brutal songs and also the slower, more repetitive ones with crushing vocals all the way showing no remorse. Tracks like ‘Knife From My Sleeve’ with start out strong with a driving rhythm and then slow down a bit to a more doomy pace with a highly melodic solo that one might hear from a band like INCANTATION. Other tracks like ‘Morbidity’ are more simplistic with a mid paced, repetitive riffing that is certainly more akin to BOLT THROWER as it aims to go for groove and stomp more than speed and technical precision. Technical precision is involved here though as well, and thanks to the production it can be recognized without a problem.

The only downside to ‘Gallows’ is that now that LANDMINE MARATHON have rather gotten themselves set in their ways, they haven’t done too much to improve their music structure. While it is important not to adjust a good thing too much, after a while the tracks may begin to sound the same after a while, especially in the middle of the album. The mix of vocals between deep growls and backing shrieks help vary things up a bit, and the riffs are always interesting such as on ‘Liver and Lungs’ as they carry more of a Hardcore sound that is catchy as opposed to the overwhelming fury of Death Metal. However, by track eight some might be a bit more burned out than others. However, one cannot deny the talent of this group and that they’re still going strong by album no. 3 as opposed to fading out due to a sophomore slump. It is also good to see the group defying the typical trends of mainstream female fronted Metal and pretty much defying the whole tradition of “only a guy could imitate something like BOLT THROWER”. Apparently Death Metal is for the all around rather than the select few “elite”, and LANDMINE MARATHON are helping shatter those walls and boundaries.


Tracklist

01. Three Snake Leaves - 4:08
02. Cutting Flesh and Bone - 2:21
03. Knife From My Sleeve - 5:07
04. Liver and Lungs - 3:15
05. Dead Horses - 3:33
06. Cloaked in Red - 2:35
07. Beaten and Left Behind - 4:02
08. Morbidity - 4:26


Line-up

Matt Martinez- Bass, Vocals (additional)
Andy York- Drums
Dylan Thomas- Guitars
Ryan Butler- Guitars
Grace Perry- Vocals


Website

http://www.facebook.com/landmine.marathon


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10